Antifriction steam piston-head.



No. 683,469. Patented Oct. I901. J. IMLER.

ANTIFRIGTIUN STEAM PISTON HEAD.

(Application filed Jan. 11, 1901.

(No Model.)

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UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH IMLER, OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA.

ANTIFRICTION STEAM PISTON-HEAD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 683,469, dated October1, 1901.

Application fil d January 11, 1901. Serial No. 42,893. (No model.)

T0 (LZZ whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, JOSEPH IMLER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Fort lV-ayne, in the county of Allen and State'of Indiana,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Antifriction SteamPiston- IIeads; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

My invention relates to steam piston-heads and is an improvement upon myapplication, Serial No. 23,472, filed July 13, 1900; and it consists inproviding a hollow piston-head with a central diaphragm or partition,the diameter of which is considerably less than the end sections,thereby providing a continuous steam-chamber without diminishing thearea of the piston-head.

Another object is to provide a novel means of mounting a valve-stem inthe central diaphragm or partition and enable two valves to operatethereon.

Further objects and advantages will appear in the following description,and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of apiston-head which embodies my invention. Fig. 2 is an end view of thepiston with one of the end sections re moved.

A represents a piston-head which is composed of the two hollow sectionsB and the central dividing-partition 0, all three parts of which aresecured to the piston-rodD, which is passed through them and held by anut at its end. These parts are also held together by clamping-bolts E,and these bolts are especially of advantage in large pistonheads, wherethe central nut is not strong enough to stand the strain. Each of the1101- low sections is provided with a port F, leading from the outerside to the chamber H, and each section has a series of lugs orprojections I, the ends of which engage the central partition C near itsedge, and which lugs may also be provided with openings for the rod J,which acts as a valve-stem for the spring-pressed inwardly-openingvalves K, mounted upon each end thereof and capable of longitudinalmovement thereon. To prevent the springs from losing their resilienceand to permit an even tension on them at all times, the valves areprovided with an annular flange L, which envelops the spring, and

which flange abuts against the partition 0 when the valves open. Thisprevents the springs from being entirely collapsed.

As shown, the central partition is of less diameter than the inner edgeof the chamfered portion of the end section and extends only to the edgeof the lugs or projections, leaving space for the escape of the steamfrom one side of the section to the other, andthus forming onecontinuous chamber within the piston-head, and at the same time itprovides a support for the rod which carries the valves.

When the piston is at the end of its stroke and steam is being admittedto the cylinder, one of the valves is opened and steam is ad mitted intothe chamber, causing the valve on the opposite, side to close, and thesteam is forced against the interior face of the opposite end sectionand circulates around the partition and completely fills the chamber. Bymeans of these valves the chamber is always kept supplied with steamunder pressure, and thus provides steam lubrication to the piston-head,for the steam passes between the ends of the end section to the innersides of the cylinder, and the chamber being always filled with steamforms a cushion. to prevent friction and the dragging of the pistonheadupon the bottom of the cylinder, and thus enables the piston-head to beheld in equilibrium. \Vhen the piston nears the end of its stroke, aportion of the trapped steam left in the cylinder after theexhaust-valve has closed is forced through the valve-openings and intothe steam-chamber, and thus relieves the piston of the heavy backpressure of the trapped steam on the exhaust side.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. A piston composed oftwo hollow end sections and a dividing-partition placed between them, arod held by the partition and carrying valves.

2. In a piston-head, the two hollow end sections and a centralpartition, a rod supported by the partition, and valves slidably mountedupon the rod.

8. In a piston-head, the two hollow end sec tions, and a centralpartition placed between them, the end sections being provided withports, and the partition having means for carrying valves to controlsaid ports, substantially as described.

4. In a piston-head, the two hollow end sections, and a centralpartition placed between them, the end sections being provided withports, and the partition having a rod passed transversely throughit,spring-pressed valves slidably mounted upon said rod and control lingsaid ports, substantially as described.

5.- In a piston-head, the two hollow end sections, and a centralpartition placed between them, the end sections being provided withports, and the partition provided with means for carrying spring-pressedvalves to control said ports, said valves having an annular flange toenvelop the springs, substantially as described.

6. In a piston-head, the two hollow end sections, and a centralpartition placed between them, the partition carrying a rod; valves andcoil-springs mounted upon the rod, and means to prevent the springs frombeing entirely collapsed upon the rod, substantially as described.

7. In a piston-head, the two hollow end sections,combined with a centralpartition placed between the sections, the end sections being providedwith lugs or projections which bear against opposite sides of thecentral partition near its edge or periphery and leaving an unobstructedpassage for the steam to all parts of the steam-chamber, substantiallyas shown.

8. In a piston-head, the two hollow end sections and a central partitionplaced between them, the end sections being provided with lugs orprojections, and the partition being of less diameter than the chamferedinner edge of the end sections and being embraced by the lugs at itsedge, thereby leaving an unobstructed passage for the steam to all partsof the chamber, combined with means for admitting the steam to thechamber and maintaining it there under pressure, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH IMLER.

Witnesses:

THEODORE DALTON, L. S. BLACK.

